Keeping hearts healthy

For over 45 years, the Division of Cardiology of the Department of Pediatrics has provided services to Atlantic Canadian children and families from the prenatal period through to adolescence.

We offer a full range of diagnostic and treatment facilities through Children’s Heart Centre at the IWK, and provide outreach services throughout the Maritimes. These services are provided through travelling clinics, ECG and echocardiographic referrals, and live echocardiographic transmissions, which allow for faster diagnosis and treatment, where required.

We also place a heavy emphasis on educating learners and families, promoting cardiovascular health and research.

Clinical activities

We make a big difference in the cardiac health of Maritime children. Each year, we admit about 300 patients, see 2,600 outpatients, and perform 1,000 inpatient consults. IWK cardiologists also perform or interpret nearly 100 catheterizations, more than 3,000 echocardiograms and over 4,000 ECGs annually.

Our other clinical offerings in which our cardiologists are involved include:

surgical and post-operative care for all forms of pediatric cardiovascular disorders

We also offer a postgraduate residency training program in pediatric cardiology. The program is accredited by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and the American Board of Pediatrics.

Research interests

Supported by both internal and external grant funding, individuals in the division are exploring various interests in pediatric cardiology including:

the epidemiology of congenital heart disease in the Maritimes

the cost-effectiveness of different models of care for children with cardiac problems

Alstrom’s syndrome

bicuspid aortic valve in children

the use of aminophylline as a diuretic in post-operative cardiac patients

the effect of congenital heart disease on pregnancy

the effects of various neuromodulators on the intrinsic cardiac nervous system

aspects of medical education

Our facilities

an echocardiography laboratory equipped to perform both transthoracic and transesophageal studies. We can also receive live video transmissions of echocardiograms from seven regional hospitals through our transmitted echo service.

Within the IWK Children’s Heart Centre, we have four full-time and one part-time cardiologist on staff. Our team also includes a nurse practitioner, cath-lab nurses, nurse-sonographers, an ECG technologist, an exercise respiratory therapist and full-time administrative staff.